Leaving it All Behind
by Chinorwegia
Summary: Umi has been accepted to a music college in America. With only a few days before she departs, will Maki be able to confess her feelings? Prompt by Msmusicful. UmiMaki (or maybe MakiUmi at the ending, I'm not sure.)


**This was requested by Msmusicful. I hope this matches with what you had in mind.**

**Prompt:** Umi is going to a music college in America that she has been accepted to. With only a few days left before she leaves, Maki must make her choice.

**Pairing: UmiMaki (or maybe MakiUmi at the ending, I'm not quite sure.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Love Live.**

* * *

><p>Even though her departure was still a few days away, Umi had packed all of her necessary belongings in the suitcases that she would be taking with her to America. And though she knew the consequences of not telling any of her friends that she was leaving Japan the day right after the graduation ceremony, she couldn't bear to see the sad looks that would surely come much like when Kotori was about to go abroad in their second year. She had been sure to leave the impression that she would be attending college with Honoka and Kotori, having taken the test and passed it. She had planned it so that they wouldn't find out she had left until after she was gone. For the time being though, she had accepted going out to spend time with the rest of Muse. She wasn't sure how long it would be before they could see each other again.<p>

"Your graduation is in three days and you choose to spend your last few days as a third-year playing in the arcade?" Eri asked, raising an eyebrow. The first year college students' term had ended a week ago so they had returned to attend the graduation ceremony and celebrate with them. However, Maki had opted to skip the meeting as she had to take charge of the ceremony. She had recently become the Student Council President, with Rin as her Vice President. Umi didn't know why Rin was able to come when Maki wasn't.

"Well, I'll be going to college soon and I don't know if I'd be allowed to slack off there so I'm gonna play while I've still got the chance!" Honoka retorted. "C'mon, Kotori-chan!" Her two childhood friends never changed, and she hoped they never would, even with her gone. It was obvious from the way Honoka spoke that she expected Umi to be there at college with them and that Umi would be making her work instead of letting her play. Umi could only hope that Eri would be able to keep her hyperactive friend on a leash while she was gone.

All of the girls split up to play their favorite games. She knew that Kotori would be by the crane game or the dance game, depending on whether Niko was dancing or not. Honoka would most likely be calling Tsubasa at this time, despite the fact that it was a Muse get-together. And if Tsubasa did come, Anju and Erena would be trailing her as her "chaperones". Hanayo and Rin were sure to be together, probably at the photo booth. Nozomi and Eri were most likely to be holding another death match at the air hockey game. Both were so equally matched that they almost never scored a point on each other and they played at such a fast pace that the normal spectator would not be able to see the puck. With nothing better to do since Maki wasn't there, Umi went to the crane machine and hoped that Kotori wasn't there. She wasn't, and judging by the crowd at the dance machines, Niko and Honoka were once again competing in a dance contest.

She spotted a white rabbit in the crane machine and decided she would try to get it. If anything, she could give it to Maki after the ceremony, but she would need to get something for Rin and Hanayo as well so it wouldn't be strange. After all, Umi never told Maki how she felt and Maki had never treated her any different than the other members of Muse. They were together a lot due to Umi having to write the lyrics and Maki having to compose the music, so it seemed natural that Umi would be attracted to her junior.

"So…whatcha hiding?" Umi jumped at the sudden voice so close to her and accidentally pushed the drop button for the claw. Nozomi grinned cheekily at her and Umi sighed.

"I'm not hiding anything." Umi responded, turning back to her game. Somehow she had managed to pick up the rabbit without having purposely dropped the claw and she bent down to retrieve the prize. She could never tell with Nozomi, but she seriously hoped that Nozomi hadn't figured out about her not going to the same college.

"And you're getting a stuffed toy rabbit for yourself? Or are you getting it for Maki-chan?"

"I'm getting something for Maki, Rin, and Hanayo as part of a parting gift." Umi explained. To prove her point, she put more money into the machine and went after another prize.

"Oh, that's nice of you to do." Nozomi said cheerfully. "Then, I'll leave you to it, okay?" The purple-haired teen walked away, humming happily. Umi watched her go before the beeping of the game alerted her to how much time she had left to grab a prize. A few minutes later, she was burdened with the white rabbit, an orange and white striped kitten, and a llama. She never knew that she was so skilled at the claw machine, though she had watched Honoka and Kotori play with it before. Umi got a bag from the prize counter to hold her toys, planning to individually wrap them at home.

It didn't take her that long to realize that the girls there were more concerned about pairing up than having fun as a group. She took this opportunity to escape for the safety of her own home.

~The Day of the Ceremony~

"And now, a word from the Student Council President." From her seat at the front of the auditorium, Umi could see the spotlight shift to Maki. The redhead walked slowly up the stairs and to the podium as Principal Minami stepped away to make space.

"Everyone in the graduating class, congratulations." Maki paused for a bit, seeming not to know what she should say next. "Actually, I didn't write a speech for today." She admitted. Umi gasped, along with the rest of her graduating classmates. This was worse than Honoka's last year graduation speech, where she had only managed to finish the speech the day before. "I did turn in a speech, but I'm not going to use it." As proof, she showed the gathered students her speech before ripping it to pieces. "Sitting in the graduating class are the three people responsible for the continued opening of our school, and words aren't enough to convey the feelings of gratitude I have for them. But it is not just them, but all of the students bound for college that helped them along the way as well. I would sing for you, but Honoka already did that last year." At this, there were a few chuckles as the students remembered the previous graduation ceremony. "After today, everyone will be going in their separate directions, not just the graduating class. And as such, I wish you the best of luck in all that you venture." Maki took a small bow and started back for her seat. However, having made the speech right then and there seemed to take a toll on the usually composed girl. She caught her foot in the wire connecting to the microphone from a power source off-stage and fell with her back to the audience. Umi covered her face with her hands, feeling embarrassed for Maki at having such bad luck on the day of the ceremony. The student council president fled back to her seat with her face fully flushed, pressed by the whistles and clapping of the watching students.

Umi got into the taxi after putting her things in the trunk. Even though her parents offered to drive her to the airport, she felt like it was best to get used to not having them around for her anymore. So she would make the first step of her journey to another nation on her own. Briefly, she wondered if Maki had gotten the message she had placed in the box with the white rabbit. She remembered Maki's small smile upon having received the gift, though Hanayo and Rin were much more enthusiastic at getting something than the red-head. Honoka and Kotori were probably still celebrating with their families, and she would call them as soon as she landed in America to tell them where exactly she was.

"Maki, I'm going to America tomorrow. Don't look for me." She repeated what she had written down on the card for Maki, ignoring the weird look the taxi driver shot her. She got off at the airport and checked in her luggage before taking a seat at the waiting area with her carry-on bag. Despite the fact that she had told Maki not to look for her, she wanted the red-head to come, and kept checking her watch to see what time it was.

Umi checked her watch again. It was only ten minutes before the plane was due to depart and she had to get aboard or else it would leave without her. She stood up and hefted the bag onto her shoulder. Maki wasn't coming after all.

"WAIT! UMI!" Umi turned around quickly, her heart beat speeding up. Could it be?

Maki ran up to her and flicked her in the forehead. She yelped and brought her hand up to the injury.

"Maki, w-what-" But she found herself unable to speak as Maki pressed her lips to her own. It was too soon when Maki pulled away.

"You idiot. What if I didn't look inside the box until after you went to college?" For good measure, Maki flicked Umi in the forehead again, elicting another yelp.

"I-I didn't want to tell you in person…" Umi said, biting her lower lip nervously. "I didn't tell anyone either." Maki's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh, Honoka and Kotori are so going to kill you when they find out."

"I know. But how did you know what airport I was going to?" That was a bigger question in Umi's mind as she hadn't specified where she was going to get to America.

"I went to your house first." Maki replied matter-of-factly. "Were you planning on leaving without saying good-bye to me?"

"I didn't think it would matter-" Maki wrapped her arms around Umi, effectively cutting her off.

"Of course it would matter! I love you!" Maki shouted. "I love you and I will always love you!"

"Maki, I'm sorry…" Umi could feel the red-head shaking and she rubbed her back. "But my flight's leaving so…"

"Oh, right…" Maki seemed to deflate, and Umi realized that she had ignored the red-head's confession. "I guess I'll be going then…"

"You forgot one thing." Maki raised an eyebrow questioningly. This time Umi initiated the kiss but pulled away a few seconds later. "I love you too."

"You idiot." Maki said, but she was smiling. Umi smiled back, until she realized just exactly how much time she had left before the plane took off.

"I'll call when I get there!" Umi shouted as she took off.

"YOU'D BETTER!" Maki yelled back.

As Umi settled in her seat by the window on the plane, she pulled out her phone to set it to airplane mode. But before she could do it, message after message flooded her phone, coming from Honoka and the rest of Muse.

"Dammit Maki." Umi muttered, knowing that the red-head was responsible for alerting the rest of the group to her departure. She pushed all of the notifications away, planning not to read them until later, when a last message came from Maki herself.

_I'll see you in a year, when we're in college._

"Oh, Honoka's not going to like that." Umi smiled to herself and switched her phone to airplane mode so she wouldn't get any calls or messages. "You're going to follow me to America, are you now, Maki?" She couldn't wait for her first year of college to be over.

* * *

><p><strong>This is a one-shot. Please refrain from requesting more chapters to this.<strong>


End file.
